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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

Do you wrap stocking gifts?

89 replies

SamanthaVimes · 08/12/2022 19:15

I’m looking at all the things I have to wrap and wondering if I can not wrap the stocking gifts because the stocking itself is like wrapping?

My mum always wrapped everything for us but my eldest is only 2 so it’s the first year we’re doing a stocking and I’m thinking I could save myself a job.

would it be grinchy to not wrap them? Obviously I’ll wrap anything that doesn’t go in the stocking

OP posts:
stuntbubbles · 08/12/2022 20:50

Yes, wrap! I get a Proustian rush from the sensation of feeling a full stocking and it sliding over wrapped presents. Without the wrapping it’s a sock full of crap. Only thing unwrapped is the chocolate coins. And always a different paper from the tree presents because Father Christmas shops elsewhere. And every year DP buggers this up despite clear instruction and something has to get rewrapped aaaaargh.

Bellie710 · 08/12/2022 20:50

I wrap everything!

SausageinaBun · 08/12/2022 20:53

We only wrap stocking presents - they are from Santa in our house. Other presents are from us and are put into gift bags that are reused each Christmas and at birthdays, because "the environment". Truthfully it's because I realise that I spent a day wrapping when DD2 was a baby and I was on maternity leave. I now don't have a child free day to dedicate to wrapping, it's always left until my DDs go to bed on Christmas eve and they won't go to sleep and let us get on with it.

Mummyme87 · 08/12/2022 20:54

Always. Mine were always wrapped and that’s what I’ve done for my boys

Dixiechickonhols · 08/12/2022 20:55

Yes. It’s a nice part of morning them sitting in our bed opening stockings and unwrapping makes it last longer and more fun

pimlicoanna · 08/12/2022 20:55

Always! But it tissue paper, red and gold, not normal wrapping paper

OhIdoLike2bBesideTheSeaside · 08/12/2022 20:57

Yes with wrapping paper scraps so all In different paper
My kids love unwrapping their stockings

alltheevennumbers · 08/12/2022 20:57

Tin foil. Best MN tip EVER.

stuntbubbles · 08/12/2022 20:58

Tin foil gives me the horrors, have you never had a tin foil cut? Like torture!

MamaFirst · 08/12/2022 20:58

PuttingDownRoots · 08/12/2022 20:43

What are the stocking presents? I'm going half and half this year... wrapping the "bigger" things like the shower gel and mini science kit, but not the chocolate coins for example.

To me, a stocking is just what fits inside a stocking, not big gifts at all. Maybe bubble bath, a yoyo, pencils, nail varnish, chocolate, candy cane, tangerine, small toys etc. Stockings are upstairs in our house, on the bedroom door handle or end of the bed.
We have a family sack that Santa fills and leaves under the tree, one or two gifts a child.

AdelineLou · 08/12/2022 21:22

stuntbubbles · 08/12/2022 20:50

Yes, wrap! I get a Proustian rush from the sensation of feeling a full stocking and it sliding over wrapped presents. Without the wrapping it’s a sock full of crap. Only thing unwrapped is the chocolate coins. And always a different paper from the tree presents because Father Christmas shops elsewhere. And every year DP buggers this up despite clear instruction and something has to get rewrapped aaaaargh.

But it isn't a ‘sock full of crap’ - the stocking is one DC’s godmother bought them years ago, quilted and quite wide at the top.

Inside, the traditional satsuma, gold coins and nuts as well as some carefully thought out gifts. I often would sneak back into tourist attractions that we had visited and purchase the souvenirs. On the top, poking out, gingerbread men, wrapped Christmas Santa shaped chocolate and candy canes.

chocolateisavegetable · 08/12/2022 21:43

No way. Have far too many people to buy for

Rosebel · 08/12/2022 22:15

I started doing that one year because we didn't have much money so I wrapped things so it seemed like more and it just carried on from there.
Didn't do it one year and the kids were disappointed. I thought I might be able to stop now they are 14 and 16 but we also have a toddler so probably be doing it for a few more years.

jocktamsonsbairn · 08/12/2022 22:28

Yes!!! Keeps them busier for longer and far more exciting!

Original poster
SamanthaVimes · 08/12/2022 22:32

Tissue paper is a good compromise of less effort but still the fun of unwrapping. I do think the unwrapping is fun (even if it takes ages with a 2yo!)
The stocking is from FC so would need different paper anyway!

OP posts:
Logicalreasoning · 08/12/2022 22:34

Yep, but purely as a stalling tactic.... dc wake up early, so to try to stall them from barging into the lounge, our tradition is they bring stockings to us and open them one each at a time, this gives me time to fully wake up and keeps them at bay for about 45 minutes. By then the rest of the house is usually awake and we can proceed to open more presents...

Bogglebrain · 08/12/2022 22:36

Never. I didn’t even realise that this was a thing till I read it on here last year!

Pictograph · 08/12/2022 22:37

No wrapping here!

PenguinLove1 · 08/12/2022 22:43

No - especially at that age i wouldnt wrap it at all - my son used to get fed up opening things on Christmas day as he just wanted to play with what he had, so i wrapped less so he still wanted to open other peoples gifts later in the day.

Delving in to the stocking to see what you find is still exciting even if it isnt wrapped

nothingleftttt · 08/12/2022 22:53

We wrap the santa gifts in random off cuts from previous years.

About 4 years ago we brought some red material and cut it up which is now our reusable gift wrap (for birthdays we use an old sheet which was cut up) secure it with hair bobbles or ribbon. For anything that doesnt work for material of for people who wont reuse / return the material for future use we use brown paper and draw a tree or santa on.
Gifts we recieve I fold the paper / keep ribbons bows etc to reuse.

We have hardly any waste to get rid of and most waste is recycled.

Although my youngest did say last yr that he wanted proper paper next year so may wrap a few in paper we have this year

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 08/12/2022 23:10

I always did, but different, cheaper paper - different from family presents - and rather scrappier wrapping. The kids don’t care - it’s all ripped off in seconds.

Shinyandnew1 · 08/12/2022 23:13

Yes, but in tissue paper which is easier and quicker to wrap.

Doingmybest12 · 08/12/2022 23:16

Yes, but I collect used paper from one year and use to wrap stocking things the next year very loosely and very randomly.

Luredbyapomegranate · 08/12/2022 23:19

Nope. Never done that.

Flidina · 08/12/2022 23:28

I also wrap stocking gifts in tissue paper, usually red or gold, it speeds up the wrapping which I hate doing.

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